Watchdogs 2022 Review; Request For Donations –

Paris, IL. (ECWd) –

As 2022 comes to a close, we are sharing some of the things we wrote about in 2022 and also ask that you kindly give a donation to assist in keeping the Edgar County Watchdogs operational.

Please make your donation at (this link) or mail to:  ECWd, Box 124, Paris, Illinois 61944.

During the 2022 calendar, we have reported on the following, and more…:

• Calumet City Alderman intimidating the Auditor; Offered to share dirty text messages with her
• Springfield’s alleged diversion of Aircraft Fuel Sales Tax
• Wesley Township dismissed their frivolous third-party claim against FOIA requester
• Exposed Crawford County Airport Authority’s unqualified Commissioners: three Commissioners resigned
• Capron, IL. booze party on taxpayer dime
• Crawford County Board Member’s receipt of unauthorized health insurance
• Poplar Grove’s former Mayor, Owen Costanza’s lawsuit against journalist and others related to claims of defamation – all complained of statements made were later admitted in court (by Costanza) to be true statements
• Shelby County’s use of “Holiday pay and overtime” for legal invoices
• Our Appellate Court victory over the Will County Sheriff’s office on a FOIA case involving 911 recordings
• Algonquin Township’s settlement of our FOIA lawsuit for $162,500 paid to our attorney.
• Our FOIA lawsuit against the Attorney General
• Champaign County Board of Review’s misuse of credit cards
• Our appearance on WZUS radio in Decatur
• Crawford County Sub Teachers Charged and Plead Guilty to federal child pornography crimes
• Mike Madigan indictment
• Livingston County’s illegal severance pay for retiring Sheriff
• Our FOIA lawsuit against the Prisoner Review Board
• No wacky weed sales in Edgar County
• Our successful intervention in downstate civil lawsuit between two financial institutions to prevent the filing of court records under seal
• Terry Wilke’s false Statement of Economic Interest in his failed campaign for State Rep
• Custodial Sexual Misconduct in Edgar County Jail, including filming of prisoner on toilet and filming rap song during strip search – posting it all on social media
• Naperville Liquor Commissioner, attorney, media personality’s sealing of DUI arrest and court records. We were granted leave to intervene to unseal the records. Awaiting hearing date.
• Shelby County Audit and related financial improprieties
• Federal Lawsuit against ECW – Federal Judge found in our favor and against plaintiff
• Rantoul School Board President’s incompatible offices: President resigned
• Kansas, IL hired police chief who was previously terminated from state job for racial slurs
• Trouble in Shield’s Township, multiple resignations
• Thornton Township issues, including unlawful compensation packages, illegal police cars, etc
• Dolton’s Mayor Tiffany Henyard and her improper comingling of funds, among other things…
• IDOT employee discharge firearm at work; we sued IDOT under FOIA for records related to the incident
• Connect Transit still losing more than one million dollars per month
• Sangamon Valley Public Water District’s use of public resources for electioneering purposes
• Eight of ten executive committee members unqualified and numerous other issues with the alleged executive board of the Will County Veterans Assistance Commission – legislation introduced to fix all of the problems identified
• Wheeling pays $250,000 for retaliation against its FOIA officer
• Paris Fire District Fireman pleads guilty to theft from fire district
• Wapella Township Road Commission’s illegal use of credit cards
• Edgar County Corrections Officer charge with assault in Crawford County
• State Rep Jaime Andrade removed false press release after we questioned him on its accuracy about passage of HB3171 (which was never passed)
• Several articles on Illinois Senator Michael Hastings, including his sealing of divorce records, which were later unsealed after media intervened, his settlement of sexual harassment lawsuit, among other things
• Coles County’s conflict of interest between prosecutor and public defender
• Oakland Fire Protection District Trustees resign after one FOIA request. Financial improprieties under investigation by law enforcement
• Mattoon School District – board president and another member falsely accuse a board member of violating the Open Meetings Act
• Whitmore Township’s EPA violations
• Mattoon LIFT teacher suspended for allegedly showing pornography in class
• Shelby County EMA Director resigned
• Harrisburg Township Assessor charged for financial crimes
• We filed a FOIA lawsuit against the Army Corps of Engineers – working on resolution of the case
• Dolton School District 149’s illegal removal of board member; illegal emergency meeting
• Sangamon Valley Public Water District’s attempted gifting of $200 gift cards to residents – they canceled it and blamed us
• Our discussion on Peter Schweizer’s Drill Down
• many more…

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